Teenager killed playing 'chicken' on train line

A teenager was killed by an express train during a game of "chicken", a coroner heard yesterday.

Kieran St John, 18, died instantly when he leapt in front of the train in front of his horrified friends. Seconds before he climbed on to the track he had told them he was going to play "chicken". But he stumbled and was hit at 60mph.

Andrew Kelly, who was with Kieran when the accident happened, told the inquest at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, the pair had been drinking at a snooker club before meeting another friend, Kim Galbraith, and catching a train from Letchworth to Baldock. When they arrived at the station they shared a bottle of wine and Andrew sat down to smoke a cigarette. "Me and Kim sat in the shelter and by the time I had made a cigarette a voice came on the Tannoy and said 'fast train approaching'," Andrew said.

"I think Kieran said something about him going to play chicken but I didn't believe him, I thought he was just messing about. He jumped off the platform and slumped to his knees. I didn't think he would do it, I thought he was just messing about."

As the train hit their friend, leaving him with multiple injuries, Andrew covered Kim's eyes. He also said that earlier, when the trio were waiting on the platform at Letchworth station, Kieran had clung to the side of a moving train for 30 metres before leaping back on to the platform, while a friend filmed his antics on a mobile phone.

"It was a bit silly but it was a laugh at the time," Andrew said.

After the accident Kim and Andrew phoned 999. Alan Cleave, the driver of the train, testified that Kieran had jumped in front of the oncoming train.

"By this time I was right at the station. As soon as he jumped off I sounded the horn and hit the emergency brake," Mr Cleave said. "He tripped, he wasn't pushed. I knew what was going to happen."

A trainspotter, Barrie Woods, also told the court he had earlier spotted the three "larking about" and reported them to the station manager in case they hurt themselves.

Edward Thomas, the coroner for Hertfordshire, recorded a verdict of accidental death and said neither emergency services nor the train driver could have saved the young man's life.

"I'm sure drink was a major factor," he said, adding: "I have no doubt in my mind that Kieran was larking about."